Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
at Newport Harbor High School

Reviewed on November 3, 2016

Nikki Herrington
Arnold O. Beckman High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Newport Harbor's "Tinriffic" performance of ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'

Shades of blues, purples, and pinks shine through a 1950's style home, while soft jazz is heard off in the distance. The atmosphere has a sense of tranquility to it, until everyone walks in. Soon all the silence is gone, and all you can hear are people fighting, along with absolute chaos. This moment describes Newport Harbor High School's performance of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", which is about the importance of family, love, and hidden desires/ secrets that people keep inside of them.

The production starts with Maggie(Morgan Mathers) sauntering into the room to greet her husband Brick(Chris Surridge) who is drinking alcohol; as always, and tries to seduce him while he is vulnerable and has his crutch due to his injured ankle. They quickly go from talking to each other in a fairly normal tone, to yelling at each other and not realizing that there are people outside that are eavesdropping in on their conversation.

Brick's father, Big Daddy(Jose Santiago), and Big Mama(Delaney McCullough) his mom, are a wonderful couple throughout the whole show really portraying as if they were an old married couple and had been together for a very long time. Big Mama conveys a tremendous amount of mother- like qualities towards her son, and everyone else in their crazy family. Whereas Big Daddy, a strong masculine dominating male, displays himself as a father with a soft side, however if you disobey him, he quickly reacted with a quick straightening up to anyone who did not take him seriously.

Reverend Tooker(Aaron Monahan) is a class act who creates comedic relief all throughout the emotionally draining and intense parts of the production. Everytime he says something he not only makes the audience laugh, but also he encompasses the true characteristics of a pastor in that time period. In addition, Gooper(Keishaun Burroughs) and his secretive, sly wife, Mae(Serafina Busa) enthrall the audience with their mysterious lurking about always trying to listen on the conversations their other family members were having, such as Gooper's little brother Brick talking to Big Daddy. The different character dynamics by the actors and actresses are wonderful ways to express and reflect all the hardship and strife that is going on in each person's life.

Light Board Operator run by Gavin Lattimer display beautiful hues of pastel colors. He also has the lights flicker or get dark to let the audience know when time is passing or when a "storm" is coming. The utilization of the choice in dark light vs. bright light is a great contrast to help convey the mood of the specific scene.

Newport Harbor High School's amazing performance of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" helps remind the audience that you need to cherish every moment, don't get upset over the little things, and most importantly always remember that no matter how crazy your family can get: enjoy it.

Grace Danon
Mater Dei High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

Tin sizzles at Harbor
written by Grace Danon, a junior at Mater Dei High School

With the impending death of their father, two brothers and their wives turn against each other, greedy for the inheritance of a sprawling plantation. In an ardent production of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," Newport Harbor's tactful cast and crew explore the sensitive topics of marriage, family, and avarice with remarkable perception and passion.

Individualizing themselves with distinct postures and walking styles, the cast's subtly furtive eavesdropping highlights themes of secrecy and lies. Dynamic shifts in character create emotional complexity, making each role engaging and genuine, and private to public changes in mien reveal the polite facades. Frequently transfigured feelings are complemented by thoughtful choices of props and lighting.

Chris Surridge captivates as Brick, the alcoholic son of Big Daddy. With slouching nonchalance and disinterested slur, he determinedly limps across the stage, exuding misery. He realistically engages with props, dependently nursing his drink and clinging to his crutch. Impressively executing tumbles with quick accuracy, his cowering, imploring moments on the ground divulge utter desperation and weakness.

Morgan Mathers' drawling sass and confident strut immediately embody the expressive and upfront Maggie. Swaying hips and hair flips lend attitude, which she politely adjusts in the presence of Brick's family. Mathers' heated and sarcastic confrontations with Surridge, bleed the sourness of a spoiled marriage, yet their connected movements show a persistent bond.

Portraying Brick's mother, Big Mama, Delaney McCulloch's maternal tone shows authority, and she maintains the composure of an older woman in her reserved movements. Despite her commanding poise, McCulloch's cries of adoration and insecurity expose her tender love as a mother and neglectedness as a wife.

Kyla Wyld creates exquisitely innovative props. A realistically cumbersome cast is fashioned from gauze, a rain boot, and paper mache, and a modern crutch painted brown looks suitable for the 1950s. Attentive details include using colored liquid for Brick's drinks and fake ice cubes to emphasize the summer heat. Gavin Lattimer's lighting conveys time and mood with gradual transitions. The show begins with the warm orange of a hopeful morning, moves into bright midday glare, then a cold midnight blue at the somber conclusion. Moments of tension are heightened by a steamy pink glow in the back of the stage.

Exhibiting beautiful contrasts of emotion, Harbor's "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" proves that it's not always easy to land on all fours.

Audrey Mitchell
University High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

Newport Harbor's "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" is engaging and emotional
written by Audrey Mitchell, a junior at University High School

All seems right in the world as Big Daddy's family gathers to celebrate his birthday. But their world comes tumbling down as the web of deceit that the family has built comes to light.

"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" tells the gripping story of a group of people only a family by name-- held together by Southern etiquette while being torn apart by lies. Newport Harbor High School's production of the classic features strong actors whose powerful relationships with each other overcome slight shortcomings in diction. The technical elements are understated and effective.

Chris Surridge leads the cast as Brick. Surridge creates a multifaceted persona of a once-mighty man who is now fallen. With a slouched posture and whiny voice, he appears casual and shallow, with a frightening nonchalance towards his alcoholism. But as his secret comes out, disinterest turns into desperation, and he falls to the ground, screaming at his loved ones.

Sauntering onstage as the fast-talking Maggie, Morgan Mathers portrays a highly pragmatic woman, swaying her hips and flipping her hair to get what she wants. When that doesn't work, she presses the outer limits of social norms, endeavoring to take control of every situation.

José Santiago as Big Daddy is the patriarch of the family. He creates a tough-love father, speaking brusquely, with little patience for wife or children. However, he transitions into something deeper with Brick, blaming the troubles of his family on "mendacity" in a world-weary tone.

Props, designed by Kyla Wyld, add a layer of realism to the show. An alcohol cabinet stands in the corner, filled with bottles of different shapes and sizes. There is even an ice container, complete with tongs.

The sound design by Lily Walkow is detailed and well-executed. From the phonograph in the corner of the room that plays periodically to the sounds of croquet from outside, the layered sound cues are executed efficiently and add a fuller sound to the production.

The costuming, designed by Soleil Easton, demonstrates the formality of each character. Maggie parades the stage in a slip for most of the show. Brick stays disheveled and uncaring. Big Mama (Delaney McCulloch) wears a patterned dress that shows her bright optimism as well as her maternal nature.

Full of dramatic revelations and layered characters, Newport Harbor's production of the classic is engaging and emotional as it explores the dire consequences of a family's mendacity.